Jerry Richardson statue removed by Carolina Panthers after 2017 controversy resurfaces

On Wednesday, NFL side Carolina Panthers announced they would be moving the Jerry Richardson statue in the interest of public safety. The 'Panthers remove Jerry Richardson statue new' was trending on social media amid the Black Lives Matter campaign in the US. Jerry Richardson was the founding owner of the Carolina Panthers in 1995 but the NFL champion abruptly sold the franchise in 2018 after allegations of sexual and racial misconduct at the workplace. A number of controversial statues in the US have been toppled during the protests in America and the Panthers have opted to remove the Jerry Richardson statue before any protesters could.

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Carolina Panthers remove Jerry Richardson statue

The Carolina Panthers remove Jerry Richardson statue news was trending on social media. The decision made by the Panthers to remove the iconic Jerry Richardson statue comes after widespread protests in the US. The NFL side issued a statement claiming that they were aware of the most recent controversy surrounding the Jerry Richardson statue as protesters might opt to take it down during the Black Lives Matter campaign. In the interest of public safety amid the protests, the Jerry Richardson statue was agreed to be removed from outside the stadium. Jerry Richardson was the founder of the Carolina Panthers in 1995 and his statue will reportedly be moved to an undisclosed off-site location.

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Why did Carolina Panthers remove Jerry Richardson statue?

In a recent statement issued by the NFL outfit, the Panthers explained that the recent events of protestors toppling statues of controversial figures in the US have concerned the team. In December 2017, Richardson appeared to fall from grace due to his alleged racial and sexual misconduct at the workplace. In May 2018, Richardson abruptly sold the franchise to billionaire David Tepper as a result of public pressure.

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Jerry Richardson statue Bank of America Stadium

The 13-foot Jerry Richardson statue was located just outside the Bank of America Stadium and was put out in 2016 to mark the founder's 80th birthday. The Jerry Richardson statue Bank of America Stadium was built in order to celebrate the founder of the NFL side and reports from CBS Sports claimed that the statue would be tied with the Panthers indefinitely. The statue of Jerry Richardson was located near the north gates of the stadium as the 83-year-old held out a football in his left hand while flanked by two panthers. In 2019, reports claimed that the Panthers would take down the statue only if it becomes a safety hazard to the general public. 

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